Improvement in metallic wheels



s. VILaELANpl METALLIC WHEEL.

Patented Jan.11,1a7e.

.El g .mi

MPETERSl PNOTOLITNBGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. DV C,

UNITED STATES lPATENT OFFICE.

siMON vaEELAND, OF SALAMANCA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN METALLIC WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 172.2 13, dated January 11, 1376; application filed Y June 8, 1875.

To all tvhom it may concern: l i

Be it known that I, SIMON VREELAND, of

` Salamanca, Gattaraugus county, NewYork,

have invented certain Improvements in MetallicWheels, of which the following is a speci-` y fication: t

My invention relates to improvements in tli'e construction of metallic Wheels for vehicles; and the main objects of my invention are, first, to afford facilities for the ready and secure fastening of the spokesto the hub; second, toso construct the spokes of wroughtiron or steel that, lwhile they are comparatively light, they shall be better adapted to the purpose than ordinaryround spokes of metal; and, third, to afford the means of readily and.

firmly securing the spokes to and adjustingV them in respect to the rim. These objects I attain in the manner which I will now proceed to describe, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in whichf Figure l is a vertical section of the hub of my improved metallic wheel; Fig. 2, a transverse vertical section of thehub; Fig. 3, a section of the rim, showing the mode of securing the spokes to the same; Fig. 4, a trans- `verse section of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5, a trailsis screwed into an internal ilange, e, of the section b of the hub, and has a shoulder, f, bearing against the end of the section b. `The journal-box thus aids in coniningthe sections of the hub together. After thisl journal-box has been screwed tight to its place a steadypin, h, is driven through the box, and through the section b of the hub, so that there can be no displacement of theseveral parts. Each spoke D has at its base a shoulder, l, and a projecting threaded stein, m, provided with a nut, n, by screwing which tight the spoke is secured firmly to the central section a. of the hub, the nuts being prevented from turning by an annular ring, d, on the inner edge of t the` same lin the positions to each of the sections b b, these rings; bearing against the edges of the nuts n, and `locking been adjusted:

Itwill be understood the wheel are secured to this section c before the latter is attached to the other seetions,so

that every facility is afforded for gaining ac v cess to the nuts by asuitable wrench. In fact, the main object of making the hub in three sections isthe proper tightening of these nuts.

The spokes are made of steel or wrought-l` iron, and each spoke is made of the sectional form shown in Figxt-that is, with two oppo` site ribs, .r x, midway between the opposite l edges ofthe spoke, and two tapering ribs, y y` the spoke being made with a gradual taper from the base, or from a point v ery near the base,to

the point t, where the outer end ofthe spoke passes into the rim.

A steel or Wrought-iron spoke thus `constructed is much better adapted to resist the shocks and jars to which it must necessarily be subjected than around spoke, and can be madequite as light as the latter. At the same time the spoke, while, sufficient rigiditLMW `in a lateral direction is imparted to it by 'the ribs y y, h-as, in the opposite direction, an elas` ticity which is not possessed by a round metal spoke of proper strength.

The rini Gr of the wheel is made hollow, of

wrought-iron or steel, and of the sectional form shown in Fig. 45; andthis rirn may be made in one or more pieces, properly secured together. The upper portion w of the rim may be made separately from the remaining4 portion, and secured to the latter by brazing or otherwise. The periphery of the rim, however, should in all 1cases beslightly rounded, so as to properlyA retain the tire H, which should be lshrunk Onto the rim in the usual manner.

The end o of each spoke, where it projects into the rim, is made round `by preference, and

is threaded for the reception of'a nut, h, which bears against the support K, the latter being y fitted tothe interior of the rim, as shown. AY tube or washer may, however, be substituted for this support.

A suitable socket-wrench maybe applied to which they have that all the spokesof l the nut, in the absence of the tire, after detaching a small plate, K, and thus exposing an opening in the periphery of the rim for the reception ofthe wrench, this plate being held in place by the tire. I prefer to let the nut project into such a recess in the plate as will prevent the nut from turning.

' It will be evident that every facility is at forded for the tightening and adjustment of the spokes by the above mode of securing them to the rim.

I do not desire tofclaim, broadly, a iuted spoke of' metal; but

I claim as my invention- 1. A metallic wheel having a hub inwhich are combined the central section or ring a, adapted 'for the reception of the inner ends of the spokes, and the outer or end sections b b', screwed directly into the opposite ends of the section a, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the hollow hub, made in three sections, with the axle-box B, threaded at one end for attachment to the end section b', and provided at the opposite end with a collar, j', and pin h, for attachment to the end section b, as set forth.

3. The within-described uted spoke, made 'tapering and ot' wrought-iron or steel, as set forth.

4. The combination of the spoke, the hollow rim G, the support K, and detachable plate 7c,

SIMON VREELAND. Witnesses:

HUBERT HoWsoN, HARRY SMITH. 

